HRW urges SL to fulfill commitments to UNHRC

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) today called on the Sri Lankan government to fulfill its commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) by ensuring that the international judges and prosecutors could play a significant role in the proposed accountability mechanism for alleged war crimes.

The call comes in response to a statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena to the BBC on January 21 that he would not allow international intervention while probing allegations of war crimes during the final phase of the war.

The President reportedly stated that Sri Lanka has “more than enough specialists, experts and knowledgeable people in our country to solve our internal issues.”

“Human Rights Council member and observer countries that backed the consensus October 2015 resolution, should make clear that foreign participation in a war crimes tribunal was already decided by the council and is not subject to renegotiation,” the HRW said in a communique.